The Government is set to offer three Irish mink farms between €4m to €8m in compensation for shutting down their operations when the fur farming ban comes into effect.
There are some 120,000 mink on three farms in counties Laois, Donegal and Kerry.
The breeding of mink for their fur was re-examined over fears of a Covid-19 variant linked to the animals and following the advice of chief medial officer Dr Tony Holohan to cull the animals.
Outbreaks of Covid-19 were record on farms in Denmark, Greece and the Netherlands in 2020.
Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, has approval for the Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021, which will ban fur farming in Ireland and provide compensation to those currently operating.
The prohibition on fur farming will include a provision that cats, chinchillas, dogs, foxes, mink and weasels (including stoats) shall not be farmed for their fur or skin.
The ban is expected to take place early in 2022 to allow the farmers to see out the 2021 season.
LSL News.